Condenser



Feb. 4, 1936. R K, ALBERT 2,029,550

CONDENSER Filed Dec. 1a, 1933 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENTOFFICE Howell Electric Motors Company,

Howell,

Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application December 18, 1933, SerialNo. 702,833

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to electric condensers, and more particularly tothe casing structure and the method of making the same.

The condenser of the present invention is of an annular or ring shape,and is adapted to be mounted within a motor casing so that the motorshaft extends through the condenser, as shown for instance, in thepatent to Norman Yost, No. 1,972,966, issued September 11, 1934. i

It is an object of the present invention to produce a condenser casingof the above type which is simple and economical in construction andinto which the condenser unit may be assembled quickly and conveniently,and which will not require a distortion of the condenser roll, either atthe inner turns or at the outer turns.

The casing of the condenser of the present invention comprises twopieces which, when assembled, form a complete ring shaped enclosure fora condenser roll. The two pieces comprise an inner cylinder having anoutwardly extending circular flange and an outer cylinder having aninwardly extending annular flange. The two pieces are assembled with thecondenser roll between them, and the adjacent edges of the t"o piecesare headed over to form a sealed unit.

In the preferred form of my invention the two pieces of the condensercasing are formed of aluminum, although it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the use of this particular material, sincethe pieces may be made of any other materials. The two parts of thecondenser casing may be made into the required shape in any desiredmanner without departing from the spirit of the invention. One preferredmanner is to form the casing from fiat disc blanks die drawn to therequired shape. While this is the preferred method of making the casingparts, it is recognized that these parts may be made by a number ofdifferent methods, and the present invention is not limited to thisparticular method of manufacture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a condensercasing so formed that the condenser roll may be wound directly upon oneof the casing parts. The condenser roll of the present condenser iswound directly upon the outside of the inner cylindrical casing member.This member is provided with a small outwardly extending circumferentialbead which serves to hold the wound roll against removal or againstslipping out of place. This bead is also utilized in limiting the extentof telescoping action of the inner and outer members during assembly ofthe condenser.

The condenser illustrated in the drawing of the present application isan electrolytic condenser. Any suitable electrolyte may be used. Onesuitable electrolyte is disclosed in the above mentioned patentapplication of Norman S. Yost, to 5 which reference may be had. Also, Ihave found that triethanolamine-oleate can be used as an electrolyte.However, a static condenser may be built into the casing of the presentinvention.

The attainment of the above and further ob- 10 jects of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following specification taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing: 15

Figure 1 is a side view, in partial section, of my improved condenser;

Figure 2 is a top view of the condenser with the cover removed and theends separated to show the construction thereof; v 20 Figure 3 is afragmentary view illustrating the positioning of the conductingelectrodes with respect to the spacers; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the manner of making theterminal connections with 25 an electrode of the condenser.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the drawing. The condenseris of a generally ring shape and is contained in a can of aluminum orother suitable material. The can comprises 30 a lower member and anupper cover member. The lower member I comprises an annular disc orplate 2 and a cylindrical portion 3 integral therewith and extending atright angles thereto at the inner periphery thereof. The condenser unitis 35 indicated at 5. This unit may be wound directly upon thecylindrical portion 3, or it may be wound upon a mandrel and theninserted in place over the cylindrical portion 3. A description of theconstruction of the condenser unit 5 will be given 40 as thisspecification proceeds. The cover comprises an annular disc or plateportion 1 open at its inner periphery and provided with a cylindricalflange 8 at its outer periphery. The cover plate has a pair of holesformed therein and 45 spaced a few degrees apart, through which theconnections from the condenser unit extend. Only one of these holes isshown in Figure 1. Each hole is provided with a rubber grommet 9 throughwhich is extended the wire connection to 50 the condenser unit. Thegrommets also provide vents for the condenser. The lead wires from thecondenser are extended through these grommets as the cover is beinglowered, and the cover is lowered until the cylindrical portion 8 tele-55 scopes over a downwardly extending flange l0 formed. at the outerperiphery of the disc 2. At this time the upper part of the cylinderportion 3 extends through the central opening in the upper plate 1. Theends l0 and II are headed over along the entire periphery of thecondenser, and the ends l2 and 13 are also beaded over. This provides agood seal between the upper and the lower container parts. The upper endof the cylindrical portion 3 is provided with a bead I 6 along theperiphery thereof. This bead serves to hold the condenser unit 5 firmlyagainst longi tudinal movement within the container.

The lower and upper casing members may be made by any desired methodwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.One preferred method is to form them from fiat disc blanks which are diedrawn to the required shape. It is, however, to be understood that theinvention is not limited to this precise method of making the twocondenser casing parts, since other methods readily suggest themselves.

The condenser within the casing may be a static condenser or anelectrolytic condenser. In the drawing I have shown, for illustrativepurposes, an electrolytic condenser. The condenser unit propercomprises, two film forming electrodes, of aluminum foil or the like,separated by a suitably impregnated spacer and tightly wound into aroll. In Figure 3 the aluminum electrodes are shown at 20 and 2|, andthespacers are shown at 22 and 23. In this instance the spacers comprisestrips of cloth, of a relative coarse mesh, impregnated with a suitablefilm forming impregnating compound or electrolyte. It is to be notedthat the spacers project beyond both longitudinal edges of q theelectrodes.

The portion of the cloth 22-23 that extends beyond the longitudinaledges of the electrodes serves two distinct purposes. First, itinsulates the electrodes from the walls of the container. Second, itprovides a surface upon which crust may form to prevent drying of theimpregnating medium at the portion of the cloth between the electrodes.

The electrodes are first treated, in the usual manner, to form a film ofoxide thereon. The film coated electrodes are separated by the spacersand are wound into a compact roll, with a few turns of cloth 23interposed between the innermost turn of the wound unit and thecylindrical wall 3 of the can, said turns serving to insulate theinnermost portion of the electrode 2e from the metal of the container.At this time the spacers are unimpregnated.

Terminals, indicated at 25 and 26, are connected to the electrodes 20and El. The terminal 25 is indicated in Figure 4, and comprises a singlepiece of wire looped upon its-elf, with the ends thereof twistedtogether. One corner of the elec-'- trode strip 20 is inserted throughthe loop 21 at one end of the twisted wire, and the wire is then rolledto coil the end of the electrode around the wire. A piece of insulatingtubing 28 is inserted over the end of the twisted wire in order toprovide adequate insulation of the wire atthe point where it leaves thecondenser casing. A piece of stiff paper 3% is folded over the end ofthe electrode 20 at the point where the same is wound around the wire25, to prevent any possibility of the thickened end portion of theelectrode short circuiting through the spacer to the next electrode of.the roll. The wound condenser unit Bis then held together by wrappingone or more turns of cloth 33 around the same and tying the ends asindicated at 35. V

'no deterioration or injury results.

The condenser unit is then immersed in an impregnating solution, whichis at a temperature necessary to give it the required degree offluidity, usually about C. C., and allowed to remain there until itisfully impregnated. This takes about fifteen or twenty minutes.

It is to be understood that other forms of separator and otherelectrolytes may be employed without departing in anywise from theinvention. The use of aluminum, of which the can is composed, provides anovel utility in, first, that to make the can of the same material asthe condenser plates, that is, of aluminum or like metal, preventscontamination of the electrolyte or any interference with theelectrolytic function between the active plates. The metal of the can isneutral to the electrolyte and even though an electrolyte should escapeor drip from the body of the condenser coming into contact with the can,In fact, it is permissible to connect one of the plates to the can wherethat is found desirable.

Aluminum is particularly useful mechanically, in that it is ductile,easily spun, and relatively inexpensive. Any equivalent film-formingmetal or alloy capable of use as an electrolytic plate and of suflicientductility to be employed in making the can or container may be employed.For example, magnesium, or alloys of aluminum and/or magnesium may beutilized.

While I have herein described a preferred embodiment of my invention itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of theinvention What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A ring shaped condenser can comprising an annular plate having, atits inner periphery and integral therewith, a cylindrical wall extendingtherefrom and merging therewith at its end and adapted to receive anannular condenser unit, a radially outwardly projecting bead formedadjacent the end of said wall for holding the condenser unit againstretraction, a cover for the unit, said cover comprising an annular platethe inner periphery of which cooperates with the cylindrical wall toform a closure for one end of the condenser and the outer peripheryincluding a cylindrical portion extending to the first mentioned annularplate and a circumferentially extending seal between each cylindricalportion and the annular plate of the other cylindrical portion.

2. A ring shaped condenser comprising a container constitutingconcentric inner and outer tubular members joined at their ends byannular discs comprising flanges one of which is integral with onetubular member and the other integral with the other tubular member, aring shaped condenser roll within the container, and a circumferentiallyextending seal between each tubular member and the flange on the othertubular member. 3. A ring shaped condenser can comprising concentricinner and outer tubular members joined at their ends by annular discscomprising flanges one of which is integral with one tubular member andthe other integral with the other tubular member, a circumferentiallyextending beaded joint between each tubular member and the flange of theother tubular member, one of said flanges having an opening forreceiving a circuit conductor, and an insulating grommet at saidopening.

4.'A two-piece annular condenser container one end and adjacent theother end an outwardly extending projection, a condenser roll wound onthe cylinder and held by the projection against movement off of thecylinder, and a one-piece cover for the condenser roll, said covercomprising an annular plate portion surrounding and sealed to thecylinder and including a cylindrical portion extending along and sealedto the periphery of the first mentioned plate, the inner cylinder beingopen at both ends.

5. The method of forming a condenser container which comprises forming apair of tubular cylinders of different diameters, forming annular discsintegrally with said cylinders at opposite ends thereof, and formingcircumferential seals between the ends of each cylinder and the disc ofthe other cylinder.

6. The method of forming a condenser container which comprises forming atubular member with an integral outwardly extending circular flange atone end thereof, forming a second tubular member of a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter or said flange and having anintegral inwardly extending annular flange at the opposite end thereof,forming circumferential beads about the peripheral edges of said flangesand tubular members, and sealing said members together about said beadswhereby the flange of each member engages the tubular end of the othermember.

7. The method of forming a condenser container which comprises forming atubular member with an integral outwardly extending circular flange atone end, forming a second tubular member of a diameter substantiallyequal to the diameter of said flange and having an integral inwardlyextending annular flange at one end thereof, forming an outwardlyextending circumierential bead about said first tubular memberintermediate its ends, winding an annular condenser about said flrsttubular member between said bead and the flange thereof, formingcircumferential beads about the peripheral edges of said flanges andtubular members, and sealing said members together about said last-namedbeads whereby the flange of each member engages the tubular end of theother member.

RALPH K. ALBERT.

